Horizontal pumping systems are used in various industries for various purposes. For example, in the oil and gas industry horizontal pumping systems are used to pump fluids, such as water separated from oil, to a selected destination, such as a tank or disposal well. Typically these horizontal pumping systems include a pump, a motor, and a suction chamber positioned between the pump and the motor. Often a thrust bearing chamber is also included between the motor and the suction chamber.
The suction chamber typically includes a shaft sealing device to prevent fluid from leaking out of the motor or the thrust bearing chamber end of the suction chamber. The sealing device wears during time and must sometimes be removed and replaced.
The prior art methods for removing the sealing device include a pump-side seal removal or a motor-side seal removal. To remove the sealing device utilizing a present method for pump-side removal, the fasteners holding the pump are removed, the drop off element between the pump discharge and the pipe line must be removed, and the pump and a removable plate, located at the front of the suction chamber between the pump base and the suction chamber flange, are moved away from the motor allowing sufficient space to access the seal. Once the pump and removable plate are moved, and the sealing device has been replaced, the pump and removable plate are moved back, the drop off element is replaced, and the fasteners are tightened to the requisite torque to hold the pump in place. Thus, alignment of the pump is regained.
However, in the pump-side removal method, if the thrust bearing chamber needs to be replaced, numerous steps are required. Thus, to remove the thrust bearing chamber, the pump discharge flange and suction chamber inlet flange of the pipe line must be disconnected, the drop off element between the pump discharge and the pipe line must be removed, the suction chamber must be disengaged from the chamber adapter, the seal collar must be released from the shaft, the suction chamber and pump must be moved away from the motor, and finally, the thrust bearing chamber is unfastened and removed from the vertical bracket. Although the vertical bracket is not disturbed, this process is complicated and results in an extended down-time.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, depicted therein are prior art suction chambers used in prior art pump-side removal methods. FIG. 1 shows a suction chamber 500 including a cartridge seal 502. The suction chamber 500 includes a housing 504, which includes a suction chamber motor end 506 and a suction chamber pump end 508. A permanent pump end plate 510 is included at the suction chamber pump end 508. A permanent motor end plate 512 is included at the suction chamber motor end 506. Additionally, a removable pump end plate, also referred to as a pump adapter plate 514, is positioned at the suction chamber pump end 508 and secured to the permanent pump end plate 510 via a plurality of fasteners or other means known in the art. The cartridge seal 502 is mounted onto the permanent motor end plate 512 and surrounds a shaft 516 disposed through the housing 504 of the suction chamber 500. Also depicted in FIG. 1 is a pump inlet line 518 connected to the suction chamber 500.
FIG. 1 also shows a bearing chamber adapter 520, which may be connected to the suction chamber 500 via a plurality of fasteners or other means known in the art. A thrust bearing chamber 522 may also be connected to the bearing chamber adapter 520. The cartridge seal 502 prevents fluid from passing through the suction chamber motor end 506 and thus prevents any damage to the thrust bearing chamber 522 or motor (not depicted in FIG. 1) because of contamination from the fluid.
To service the cartridge seal 502 of the suction chamber 500, several steps are required. First, the drop off element (not depicted in FIG. 1) between the pump discharge port (not depicted in FIG. 1) and the pipeline (not depicted in FIG. 1) is removed. Next, the pump adapter plate 514 is disconnected from the suction chamber 500. Then, the pump support hardware (not depicted in FIG. 1) is loosened, and the pump is moved away from the motor to create the requisite space to allow access to the suction chamber pump end 508 to access the cartridge seal 502. Thus, the design of suction chamber 500 requires the removal and moving of a large number of parts for service to take place, including two or more platforms with built-in jacks and rollers positioned below the pump and between the pump supports. If the thrust bearing chamber 522 must be accessed at the same time the cartridge seal 502 is serviced, the entire suction chamber 500 must be removed because it will no longer be supported on either side.
Now turning to FIG. 2, depicted therein is a prior art suction chamber 524 including a component seal 526. The suction chamber 524 includes a chamber housing 528, which includes a suction chamber motor end 530 and a suction chamber pump end 532. A pump end plate 534 is permanently connected at the suction chamber pump end 532. A motor end plate 536 is permanently connected at the suction chamber motor end 530. Additionally, a removable pump end plate, also referred to as a pump adapter plate 538, is positioned at the suction chamber pump end 532 and secured via a plurality of fasteners or other means known in the art.
Continuing with FIG. 2, also shown therein is a bearing chamber adapter 540. The bearing chamber adapter 540 includes an adapter housing 542, which includes an adapter motor end 544 and an adapter pump end 546. A permanent adapter motor end plate 548 is located at the adapter motor end 544 and a permanent adapter pump end plate 550 is located at the adapter pump end 546. A thrust bearing chamber 552 may also be connected to the bearing chamber adapter 540. A component seal plate 554 is connected to the permanent adapter pump end plate 550.
The component seal plate 554 includes the component seal 526 positioned around a shaft 556. The component seal 526 includes a snap ring 558, a seal spring 560, a stationary sealing seat 562, a rotary sealing face 564, and other miscellaneous, mostly elastomeric sealing and retaining devices. The component seal 526 prevents fluid from passing through the motor end plate 536 thus, preventing any damage to the thrust bearing chamber 552 or the motor due to contamination from the fluid. Also depicted in FIG. 2 is a pump inlet line 566 connected to the suction chamber 524.
The design of suction chamber 524 allows for seal removal through thrust bearing chamber 552 removal. Removal of the component seal 526 for servicing first requires that the drop off element (not depicted in FIG. 2) between the pump discharge port (not depicted in FIG. 2) and the pipeline (not depicted in FIG. 2) is removed. Next, the pump inlet line 566 must be disconnected from the piping feeding the pumping system. Next, the pump support hardware (not depicted in FIG. 2) is loosened, and the bearing chamber adapter 540 is disconnected from the suction chamber 524 and the pump and suction chamber 524 are moved away from the motor to create the requisite space to allow removal of the bearing chamber adapter 540, thrust bearing chamber 552, shaft 556 and component seal plate 554 from the system. In some cases, if the suction chamber 524 reaches the first pump support before completing the total travel distance allowed by the drop off element, then the suction chamber 524 must be entirely removed from the horizontal pumping system. Next, the thrust bearing chamber 552 and bearing chamber adapter 540 are dismounted from the bracket (not depicted in FIG. 2) and the bearing chamber adapter 540 and the component seal 526 are disconnected from the thrust bearing chamber 552. Thus, the design of suction chamber 524 requires the removal and moving of a large number of parts for service to take place, including two or more platforms with built-in jacks and rollers positioned below the pump and between the pump supports.
In the prior art method for motor-side seal removal, a spacer coupling is removed or, if there is no spacer coupling, the motor is pushed away from the pump. Next, the thrust bearing chamber is disconnected from the bracket, and the bearing chamber adapter is unbolted from the suction chamber. Then, the thrust bearing chamber and bearing chamber adapter are tilted until both elements clear the vertical bracket and motor.
If the thrust bearing chamber needs seal service, the thrust bearing chamber and bearing chamber adapter are removed from the bracket. These are removed utilizing a crane or other similar lifting device. When they are installed back in place, the load acting on the suction chamber inlet flange from the pumping system connected to the pipe line often pushes the suction chamber out of alignment. There is the potential for higher vibrations and a resulting shortening of the life of the components.
Thus, there is a need for a method and apparatus, which will provide a true fixed-point to enable the components of the pumping system to regain alignment once they are installed back into place. There is also the need for a duo-directional seal removal method and apparatus that will enable the seal to be serviced from either the motor end or the pump end depending on the service needs. Additionally, there is the need for an integrated lifting device for easy, low cost removal of the thrust bearing motor chamber and bearing chamber adapter for motor end seal service. Furthermore, there is the need for a duo-directional method and apparatus having a suction chamber mounted on a vertical bracket mounted on a platform, so that the suction chamber is fixed, and when service is applied to the pumping system, the loads acting upon the suction chamber inlet flange do not affect the alignment of the suction chamber when it is disconnected from the bearing chamber adapter. It is to these and other deficiencies in the prior art that the present invention is directed.